Sunday, July 10, 2011

Reflections on AAAL 2011 Chicago--Prelude

I have been putting off writing about AAAL for some time now partly because I do not know where to start. Since the semester is over I do not have any excuse anymore. So here it goes. First let me begin by my general impressions. For the most part I was happy with the organization and presentations. I have to say that I was like a kid in a candy store; I was so excited about seeing the people I read in person. Deciding which presentations to attend was a very tough decision at times especially because I am interested in both second language acquisition and second language writing. Overall second language acquisition research won when I had to choose between the two. Okay, before I get lost in my own thinking, I should probably go back and start from the beginning. The week before the conference was pretty hectic because I was trying to get things done before I left so when the Thursday night came, the night before my departure, I was pretty exhausted and not to mention sleep deprived. Despite all this, I could not sleep because I was very excited. The idea of the conference had been my source of motivation throughout this very challenging Spring semester. I remember thinking 'I'm going to the conference whenever I was overwhelmed. Now finally it was time and I was afraid that something was going to go wrong or worse that I was going to be disappointed. I had to wake up at five in the morning to get ready and catch my train. Worried that I was going to oversleep I had told my husband to wake me up. (My poor husband occasionally serves as an alarm clock and he is on a different continent too. He is a sweetheart). Anyway I spent the night worrying about all the things that could go wrong instead of getting a good night sleep--a bad habit of mine.

Friday, March 25

I woke up on time. My dear friend's husband took us to the train station. It was very cold and I was thinking I did not have warm clothes. As you can imagine I was quite grumpy and silent so early in the morning. I decided to focus on the present so I looked around the trains and passengers in the sharpness of the morning light, I let in the smells of the station and felt the cold on my skin. I was lucky that I had such an understanding companion with me. The train came on time and I was happy once I was on the train. I do not know if it was because I'm a romantic but I like trains. They make me melancholic and excited at the same time. I thought to myself "Yes, I'm ready for a new adventure." I watched the corn fields and trees for a while and I even waited for a deer to show itself to pass time. Instead I saw cows and horses. Oh well, that's life. After a while I left myself to the gentle rocking of the train and fell asleep. Perhaps that's why I thought the trip way shorter than usual when we finally arrived Chicago. The train station was cold and windy--no surprises there. My friend and I had breakfast and then went to the hotel to check in. The check in was much faster than I thought and before I knew it we were in our room in Sheraton. We rested a little and then I decided it was time to go to the Turkish Consulate. I had to go there to renew my passport and I had thought the conference would save me one more trip to Chicago. So I left the hotel with the intention of walking to the consulate. Even though I had a map with me I got lost--no surprises there either. I decided to take a cab and unfortunately the driver dropped me off at the wrong place. And I had showed him the map and the address too. I did not have much time left so I asked a woman smoking. She told me where to go and in two minutes I realized that she had directed me in the opposite direction. I had to ask two more people to find the place. Lesson 1 people give you directions even if they do not know the place you are talking about, so don't trust anyone ^_^ Finally I entered the building sweating because of all the running around and made it to the consulate just in time for my appointment. The security guide let me in and told me to come later because people were on lunch break. Trying to catch my breath I said but I have an appointment at noon. He went to talk to some people and they decided to talk to me. The actual appointment did not take longer than 10 minutes. I completed my application for renewal and then I was free to enjoy the conference. I called my friend to have lunch and we decided to meet at Navy Pier. Guess what, I got lost again. I sometimes cannot believe myself. I have been in Chicago several times. I do not know what is wrong with me but I'm terrible at following directions. Finally, after asking 4 or 5 people I found Navy Pier where my poor friend was waiting for me. We looked around, walked by the lake and had lunch. Then we returned to the hotel easily and quickly, thanks to my friend. I had volunteered from 4 to 8 so I went to the registration desk. I met some people there and I saw some people I already knew. It was really crowded and busy. I was hoping to see some researchers I admire during registration but there was no time to look around or to talk to people. Also since I'm quite a shy person I found myself hiding behind the table. Those four hours flew quickly and at the end of those four hours I was pretty tired. Lesson 2 do not wear heels when you volunteer ^_^ One of the organizers asked me if I could substitute for a session chair who could not make it. I said sure. I went to my room and my nice roommate had my dinner ready. We talked a little and went to our comfy beds. Finally, I fell asleep, tired but ready for the ball.

Lesson 1--Do not spoil the moment by worrying too much. Carpe Diem! (I failed until the first day of presentations)Lesson 2--Take warm clothes with you when you go to Chicago ^_^ (I failed)Lesson 3--Get things done before you leave for a conference so that you can enjoy the conference (I did)Lesson 4--Get a good night sleep before you travel (I utterly failed)Lesson 5--Choose your travel companion wisely (I did. Lucky me.)Lesson 6--Do not count on people for directions (I somewhat failed)Lesson 7--Volunteer for conferences if you can (I did)Lesson 8--Use this opportunity to meet people (I failed until the first day of presentations)Lesson 9--Wear comfortable clothes (especially shoes) when you volunteer (I somewhat failed)Lesson 10--If possible stay in the same hotel the conference is taking place (I did)
To be continued...

About Me

What can I say, I'm a dreamer. Here is some unnecessary info about me. Here is a riddle for you. Who am I? I’m happily married with a wonderful man who turns my life into a fairy tale. I’m a romantic (as you can tell). Feel free to recommend me romantic movies, poems and novels. I’m from a beautiful city Istanbul, which I miss immensely. I’m a night owl so please approach with caution in the mornings for I might bite (just kidding). I’m pretty clumsy so watch out. I like to sing and dance when I’m home alone. I’m all and none of these things. I like Anime. Well, it’s more than a ‘like’. Actually, I believe that I’m an anime character living in an Anime world—the only thing missing is cherry blossoms in the moonlight. The trees in front of Heavilon Hall (the building I work) should do for now. I like the smell of strawberry jam and oranges. I like looking at beautiful things (the sea and van Gogh paintings are my favorite). I like ice cream, the sound of violin and watching the snow. These are a few of my favorite things (please feel free to sing along this song here). Please write some comments. I’d love to hear about your favorite things and your travails.

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Favorite Quotes

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. Francis Bacon

Go to foreign countries and you will get to know the good things one possesses at home. Goethe

I am alone here in my own mind. There is no map and there is no road. It is one of a kind just as yours is. Anne Sexton

No master spirit, no determined road; But equally a want of books and men! William Wordsworth

There are more ideas on earth than intellectuals imagine. And these ideas are more active, stronger, more resistant, more passionate than politicians think. We have to be there at the birth of ideas, the bursting outward of their force: not in books expressing them, but in events manifesting this force, in struggles carried on around ideas, for or against them. Ideas do not rule the world. But it is because the world has ideas... that it is not passively ruled by those who are its leaders or those who would like to teach it, once and for all, what it must think. Michel Foucault

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Marianne Williamson

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. Dorothy Parker.

Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous, anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not. Vaclav Havel

He who has a why can endure any how. Friedrich Nietzsche

A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud. Ralph W. Emerson.

No facts are to me sacred, none are profane; I simply experiment, and endless seeker with no past at my back. Ralph W. Emerson

You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star. Friedrich Nietzsche

Ben buradayim ey okuyucu, sen neredesin? Oguz Atay

And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. Friedrich Nietzsche

All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth. Friedrich Nietzsche

What strikes me is the fact that in our society, art has become something which is only related to objects, and not to individuals, or to life. Michel Foucault

Anyone who believes you can't change history has never tried to write his memoirs. David Ben Gurion

Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savour to life. Robertson Davies

It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. Albert Einstein

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. Albert Einstein

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. Friedrich Nietzsche

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. Bertrand Russell

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. Socrates

America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. Oscar Wilde

I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth. Umberto Eco

The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates, in Plato, Dialogues, Apology